The very first time I participated in an office holiday gift exchange, it was one of those “gift stealing” events. I was a young and impressionable new cubicle-dweller, and my lasting memory is of people fighting over a set of candles.

The experience was strange, but I did learn something: consumable gifts are a great idea. Â I like giving “an experience,” and even if my gift isn’t the recipient’s favorite, they won’t have to hang onto it forever. Â A bottle of champagne for a co-worker can be consumed at New Year’s; a pretty candle for a neighbor or teacher can light up a desk or a kitchen.

You can buy candles anywhere (literally), but for a memorably posh gift, I like a brand called Nest. Â Their small candles are $14 (20 hours burning time); larger candles are $32 (50 hours burning time); three-wicks are $58 (150 hours burning time). The presentation is beautiful (no additional wrapping needed), and the scents are subtle and complex — not overwhelming or overdone.

My personal favorite is Moss & Mint. It smells like a cool, clean evening — the mint is soothing, not sharp.

Also worth mentioning are Nest’s two seasonal candles: pine-woods-cinnamon-spice Holiday and pumpkin-cardamom-ginger Pumpkin Chai (this one smells almost TOO delicious).

I’ve sniffed 13 Nest scents at my local Neiman Marcus; I believe there are 15 in all. And NeimanMarcus.com is offering free holiday shipping, if you still need to pick up a few gifts.

And if you find yourself in a Hallmark Store, a Bed Bath and Beyond, or an Ulta anytime soon, take a look around, because Nest made also candles for these retailers this year. The ones in Hallmark and BBB are called Project Art; the Ulta candles are under the Ulta brand. Though the scents are different, both products feature scent photography on the glass jar.